Sea of Shadows
The Sea of Shadows was a region no sane man dared to venture. The seas of Rokugan were hazardous at the best of times; when combined with the foul touch of the Shadowlands they became an area of unimaginable danger. A man who fell overboard in a storm was almost certainly dead, or may as well be. The storms that blew over the black waves possessed a malevolent hunger. Creatures beyond description skulked beneath the water, constantly seeking living prey to torment and consume. Even the Mantis Clan, who claimed greater mastery of the sea than any other clan, did not challenge the Seas of Shadow. Dark Oracle of Water The Dark Oracle of Water was believed to manifest itself in the Sea of Shadow. Survivors recounted the feeling of an ominous intelligence guiding and shaping the creatures and weather around them, as if toying with them before savoring their moment of destruction. Way of the Shadowlands, p. 123 Skull Gaki Tide Sea of Shadows occurred when a bit of corruptive energy was washed out on the tides, carried into the greater body of the ocean. These areas usually did not persist long; most were dispersed by the greater purity of the sea. Way of the Shadowlands, p. 128 A magical phenomenon in the Sea of Shadows was the Skull Tide, a myriad of cackling skulls attempting to devour any boat who crossed it. Island in the Mist, Part I, by Rich Wulf Osaku Route The Osaku Route was a current of uncorrupted ocean cutting through the Sea of Shadows. The route was controlled by the Crab Clan by order of the Emerald Champion. It was believed to have been created by Osano-Wo to protect a shrine that his son, Hida Kenzan erected in grief over his father's death. The shrine was home to the Tetsubo of Thunder until 1167, when it was removed by Yoritomo Rui and given to the Bat Clan. After Rui's visit it seemed that Osano-Wo began to widen the route in approval. Dark Tide Rising Dark Tide Rising, by Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf Ship's fate During the years 664-666 the Rokugani ships lost at the Sea of Shadows were manned by Lost, goblins and even oni. They harassed the southern coast of the Empire, to hide their true target, Otosan Uchi. The ships were intercepted before they entered the Golden Sun Bay by the Mantis Clan Champion Tetsuken, who defeated the fleet at the cost of his own life. Imperial Histories, pp. 107, 113 Rise of Jigoku After the First Seal was broken, the veils between Jigoku and Ningen-do began to thin. A surge of massive beasts in the Sea of Shadows forced the Mantis to be placed on the defensive. Primal Tempest (Evil Portents flavor) The Sea of Shadows expanded and the creatures from it threatened the Mantis Islands. A Cold Wind, by Shawn Carman, Robert Denton III and Fred Wan Several Mantis forces sailed to fight the new menace, Sons of Gusai, Moshi Chiyoko, Moshi Nariko (Evil Portents flavors) such as the Umikaiju. Umikaiju (Evil Portents flavor) External Links * Seas of Shadow (Broken Blades) Category:Seas Category:Shadowlands Holdings Category:Articles with Pictures